WSU plans to preserve 4-H and reorganize Extension

Washington Ag March 25, 2009 Washington State University announced this week plans to preserve 4-H programming statewide by undertaking an administrative reorganization that will make WSU Extension part of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. Warwick Bayly, WSU provost and executive vice president, says throughout considerations of budget cut scenarios it has always been the intention to make sure that all children and young adults who currently benefit from 4-H programs will continue to do so. He says larger cuts will be taken administratively to minimize any impacts on 4-H programs. At its March meeting last week the Washington Wheat Commission committed to creating an Endowed Chair in Economics at Washington State University that would serve the wheat industry. The commission met with representatives of WSU’s Economic Sciences department and Wheat Commission Chairman Hal Johnson summed what they agreed on for the position. Johnson: “It would probably be a person who would be able to pull other resources and people from the program to help with that particular area. That is what I gathered and I think we will probably tend to work toward that. It will take a while to implement because of hiring freezes and all those sort of things, but at least we have now made the commitment and WSU can move forward as they can on filling this position.” The Wheat Commission has two million dollars budgeted for the economics chair. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.